The impact of school staff leaving

When a member of school staff leaves the school at the end of the school year, this can have a big impact on some children. It is important for schools to consider how this is communicated to the children and when they are told. Some children develop close relationships with school staff and are devastated when they leave. It can be a huge loss for them and needs to be managed with thought and sensitivity. Children need to be given plenty of notice rather than being told on the day the person is leaving. The ending needs to be marked in some way and the children offered the opportunity to make cards or draw pictures if they wish to. They need clear and honest explanations and the chance to ask questions in order to understand what is happening. When children have experienced adults coming in and out of their lives or just disappearing overnight due to relationship breakdown, it is essential that schools provide them with a supportive and reassuring experience of an ending with an adult.